The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Elias Sory, has blamed politicians for interfering in the posting of doctors and other health personnel. He cautioned that if the situation continued to persist, the country would not be able to meet the Millennium Development Goals on health. Dr. Sory apportioned the blame at the Ninth Annual General Conference of the Medical Superintendents' Group at Ho on Wednesday. The four-day conference is on the theme: "Achieving targets for reducing maternal and infant mortality (MDG 4 and 5) - the role of hospitals'. Dr. Sory expressed concern about the situation where most health professionals, including doctors refused to accept posting outside Accra because politicians interfered with the process. "If politicians continue to interfere with postings, then they are doing a disservice to the nation," he stressed adding that there must be sanity in the health sector if the country should achieve the Millennium Development Goal. Dr Sory observed that the situation was creating conflict of interest in the health sector, resulting in inequality and unbalanced postings. "We need to be fair and firm on the policy direction of the Ghana Health Service so that it will be implemented devoid of political manipulations", he noted. He charged the medical superintendents to ensure that patients who arrived at hospital alive were not taken away dead. Dr. Paul Ntodi, president of the Group, said a significant amount of the internally generated funds was. used for paying for indirect cost, thereby reducing considerably the proportion of resources available for maternal and infant mortality. He urged the government to address the issues of provision of indirect costs, review upwards the National Health Insurance Authority service tariffs and the policy of installation of pre-paid meters in health facilities. Dr. Ntodi gave the assurance that the group had analysed the Millennium Development Goal related to health, assess strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities in addressing maternal and infant deaths, ensure good practices to save lives and achieve targets set for 2010 and beyond. Mr. Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, Deputy Minister of Health, stressed the need for medical superintendents to change their attitude towards clinical care which was affecting quality healthcare delivery. He pointed out that most cases of maternal and infant mortality could have been avoided but for wrongdoing on the part of some medical superintendents. In an address read on his behalf, Mr. Joseph Amenowode, the Regional Minister, acknowledged challenges in the health sector but encouraged them not to be discouraged and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to reap the synergies in meeting the Millennium Development Goals. Togbe Kwaku Anyim IV, Paramount Chief of Ziavi Traditional Area, who chaired the function appealed to the government to post specialists to regional hospitals to enhance quality health care delivery. Source: Daily Graphic